


is this the real life?

by beholdtherollyjoger



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amnesia, F/M, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:35:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26826721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beholdtherollyjoger/pseuds/beholdtherollyjoger
Summary: There was an accident. Emma Swan is suffering from amnesia. How will she react when she faces her life?(one-shot)
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Red Riding Hood | Ruby & Emma Swan
Comments: 8
Kudos: 40





	is this the real life?

**Author's Note:**

> I read an amnesiac Emma fic and they referenced the movie "The Vow" so I went to check that trailer and this all serves to tell you that I wanted to write a different type of amnesiac Emma. This is just a small drabble because I was thinking about it and I wanted to write it. There was no beta involved in the making of this so you know, approach with caution. This is also my first time writing Emma so if you have any tips let me know!  
> Hmm, enjoy!

The first thing she heard when her eyes fluttered open to the harsh lights above her was a feminine voice calling for a nurse followed by her own groan as she shut her eyes closed again to protect them. When she felt a hand on her forearm, she opened them again to look at the owner. A red-lipped relieved grin, brown eyes glistening with tears and dark hair with red streaks greeted her. 

“Emma, I’m so glad you’re awake... !” The woman spoke and there was so much emotion in her voice that her own throat closed up. She must be someone important.

“I’m sorry ... but who are you?” Her voice sounded raspy from disuse and it almost hurt to let out the words that made the woman frown, a tear trailing down her cheek. She felt bad for making the stranger cry.

“Emma, you’ve been in an accident. The doctors said that you suffered a concussion so there might be some confusion.” The nurse piped up from the end of the bed making both women turn to her.

“A-Am I Emma?” She asked as she gestured to the glass of water in the nurse’s hands with her right hand, taking it as soon as she extended it.

“Yes, your name is Emma Swan. Do you remember anything?” The woman sitting down next to her looked at her with worry as she watched her sip slowly from the cup.

But Emma - the name suited her, she thought - only shook her head in response, focused on finishing the water in the cup. She couldn’t remember the last time she had something to drink (hah!) and she was parched.

“She might suffer from temporary amnesia, her head injuries were all in worrying places. I’ll be back as soon as we can take her to do an MRI.” The nurse excused herself with a nod.

As soon as she left, the hand on her arm tightened to get her attention again. “I’m Ruby, Ruby Lucas, does that name ring any bells?”

The name did sound familiar but she couldn’t place it so she shook her head once more with an apologetic smile. There was genuine care bubbling in her chest towards Ruby so that made her pretty sure they were close. She dropped the empty plastic cup on the mattress next to her to lay her hand on hers in comfort, as an apology.

“That’s okay, I’m your best friend. For all the times where you’re the one who refreshes my memory after a wild girl’s night out, I suppose I can return the favour now.” Ruby teases, her tone contradicted by her emotion, holding the hand that was on top of hers.

Emma laughs with her. She trusted her. Despite not remembering her, she knew she could trust her. Emma dropped her gaze to their hands. A glint coming from her left hand made her arch her eyebrow curiously. She raised her hand to look at the two rings on her ring finger. One was a slim silver band with a small red stone and the other was a simple gold band. She was happy that they were simple, she wasn’t the jewellery type. Apparently.

“I’m married?” Emma asked, tearing her gaze from the rings to look at the soft smile in Ruby’s face.

“Yup.” Her best friend answered, exhaling a chuckle. “He’s going to be distraught that he wasn’t here when you woke up, he went t-”

But before she finished, there was already a male voice drifting in from the corridor raising in volume when he entered the room. “-ne Apollo bar! How cheap do they have to be to only have one? We’re going to have to sha-”

He trailed off as soon as he raised his eyes to see Emma awake. The bar fell to the ground when he breathed out her name. “You’re awake!”

Emma could only look at him in confusion, she got the same feeling she did when Ruby said the same thing but she didn’t recognise him. Which was a damn shame because he was hot!

“She doesn’t remember anything, they are going to take her to an MRI as soon as they can.” Ruby piped up, breaking the piercing gaze he had on her as well as interrupting his stride towards her. His eyes moved to her friend and when they moved back, there was pain where there had been surprise.

“Who is he?” She whispered to Ruby, unable to take her eyes off him, hoping that she wouldn’t cause him any more pain - it didn’t look good on his handsome face.

So distracted was she by the blue in his eyes, that she missed Ruby’s knowing smile. “That’s Killian Jones, your husband.”

He seemed to startle at the words dropping his gaze to the floor and scratching behind his ear. He was adorably bashful, almost like he was worried at her reaction. But, at her silence, he looked back into her eyes searching. 

“My husband?” She finally spoke, almost in a whisper. Her eyes roamed his face once more before she turned to look at Ruby again. “Really?”

Emma almost didn’t register Ruby’s quiet laugh as her eyes kept glancing towards Killian. “Oh yes, almost 4 years now.” She answered in a sort of stage-whisper causing an endearing blush to spread across his cheeks to the tip of his ears.

“3 years and 10 months to be exact … “ He corrected shyly as he kept his focus on Emma. 

“Oh…” Emma sighed noticing how he kept a certain amount of distance ever since Ruby’s first words. From where he stood at the end of the bed, she finally took the time to look at him. And she was happy to note that her initial assessment was still correct, he was hot! Dark hair, blue eyes, a days worth of scruff on his face, plaid shirt and dark jeans - if she remembered what her type was, she would definitely say that was it. “Woah, nice!” Her tone was surprised and her expression followed it losing the battle at trying to seem nonchalant. 

They both laughed and she noted how different they were - Ruby was loud and humorous whereas Killian’s was bashful and it drew his hand to the back of his neck.

“His exact words when I introduced you two.” Her best friend teased earning a chiding scoff from Killian. “Fine, he didn’t say that but his expression did!”

“That’s true but you can’t really blame me.” Killian admitted, his eyes returning to her and she almost flinched at the amount of love she could see there. 

“I cannot.” Ruby agreed before standing up. “I’m gonna go tell Granny that you’re awake, she’s been worried sick. I leave you in good hands.” She explained reaching to cup Emma’s cheek and kiss her forehead - so much love around her, she really was lucky.

“Thank you, Ruby.” Emma managed to let out with a smile at her friend.

Killian’s hand on Ruby’s arm made her stop as they said goodbye and Emma took that moment to inspect him more closely, her eyes roaming from the tips of his elf-like ears, the ginger that seemed to be scattered around his stubble and the way his shirt stretched as he caught the chocolate bar Ruby tossed from he had dropped it. 

And then, much to her chagrin, she noticed the butterfly bandages on the top of his brow and on his cheek as he turned back to her, the bruises and cuts that covered his left arm the most that she could see with the way his sleeves were rolled up and the way his hair was dishevelled and greasy - it didn’t look like it was purposefully rumpled, it looked like he had spent days pulling and running his hands over his hair.

Unconsciously, and as soon as he sat down in Ruby’s previous seat, she reached for his forearm to carefully hover her fingers over his wounds. “What happened?” She asked, glancing up at him in worry.

The pain was back in his eyes and that was definitely the worst look she had seen in him. Without taking her eyes off him, Emma slipped her hand in his, too distracted in his eyes to relish the fact that it felt so comforting and right.

He seemed to be battling the right way to explain, she could see it in his eyes. She could read him like an open book and she suspected it had always been that way. 

“There was an accident…” His voice wavered with emotion and she tightened her hold in his hand forgetting the strangely familiar bite of the rings in her fingers. Killian cleared his throat before continuing. “We were on our way home from date night, as you called it, a drunk driver hit us in an intersection. I tried to protect you but you took the brunt of it...” He sounded ashamed to her ears and he refused to make eye contact looking at their hands instead.

“It doesn’t seem like it was your fault and you know, I’m fine. Slightly amnesiac but all in one piece.” Emma tried to comfort him, her free hand coming up to trace the outline of his ear before playing with the hairs on the nape of his neck.

He seemed to sigh contentedly at the touch and she mentally patted herself on the back for the glory of muscle memory. She had no idea where that came from.

“You’re the one in the hospital bed with memory loss and I’m the one in need of reassurance. Our life was never normal, was it?” There was a teasing tone behind his wavering words and the brush of his thumb on her knuckles is enough to make her melt. Her hand fell to the bed at her responding chuckle and she relished in the fact that she got him to look back at her - there was still pain but the love, oh the love was so much more blinding.

“Well, so far, I’ve woken up in an hospital, with a hot husband, without any memories, so life may not be normal but it’s sounding pretty good.” She laughed at the ridiculousness of it all and his responding smile made the butterflies in her stomach go crazy.

“Hot?” His eyebrow seemed to have a mind of its own. He may not be able to use both but the remaining one appears able to carry the load.

“Fine, fine, devilishly handsome.” At the surprise raise of his eyebrow, she widened her eyes. “Oh, where did that come from?” Her fingers came to touch her lips in surprise.

“I’m the one always saying that.” He answered and she smiled at the touch of awe in his voice. “Maybe with the proper stimulation you might remember…” 

“I’m sure you’ll be able to make me remember? We have been married for 3 years and 10 months.”

“And I’ve known you for 5 years more before that.” He adds and she isn’t sure why that surprises her. “We were rather stubborn when it came to our feelings for each other.”

“That sounds like quite the story. Have we known each other that long?” Emma lays more comfortably on the bed tilting her head to be able to look properly at her. The fact that they haven’t let go of each other’s hands both grounds her and makes her float with happiness.

“Aye, we actually met because of Ruby, she has been your friend for about 11 years.” He replies pushing the chair closer to the bed so that he can sit properly without letting go of her hand. She would despair if he did, if she’s being honest.

“Would you tell me? About me, about us?” Her tone is wistful but like hell she’s going to correct herself. Especially when it puts that smile on his face.

“Of course, love. Your heart’s desire, that’s all I want you to have.”

Her chest swells with happiness and, she’s sure, with love as she settles down to listen to their story. With his lilting voice and bewitching expressions, she devours every word he says and she is able to understand every reason that led her to marry him. For all the good and the bad in their lives, she has found him, they have found each other. And the first time - at least for her - they kiss, she’s sure she sees rainbows. And she just knows every kiss was and will be like that. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a one-shot but I can also try and write a small chapter of Killian telling Emma their story if yall want it but it will just be that, I don't think I can write a full story but you know they would just fight to go back to how they were or you know, try and do what's best. This is my first time writing the two of them and i think i'm writing too much here but hey that's me ig  
> come check me out on tumblr if ya want at @killianjones-twopointoh


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